Call your doctor immediately if you suddenly have severe leg pain, numbness, or pale, blue-black skin.

Call your doctor if you have:

• Leg pain that begins after you walk a certain distance and that goes away when you rest (intermittent claudication).
• Foot or toe pain when you are resting.

Watchful Waiting

Taking a wait-and-see approach, called watchful waiting, is not appropriate for peripheral arterial disease. Ongoing, unexplained leg pain should be checked by a doctor.

Who to See

Health professionals who may be involved in the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) include:

• Family medicine doctor.
• Internal medicine doctor (internist).
• Cardiologist.
• Vascular surgeon.